#41: Clay Aiken Makes His Triumphant Return!

[Couch Tomato]

Oh I enjoyed reading that guy's take. He's not a Claymate and I thought he was quite complimentary. You can look at Clay's take vs Hyde Peirce and say the exact same thing this guy said..that they play it completely differently but it still works thanks to the genius that is the script.

And I actually agree with his description of the fans. It is kinda like that. There's this whole other dynamic with Clay and his fans and us laughing at things that most audience wouldn't..like Clay saying a curse word? Must be strange to a person used to getting laughs in all the same spots every night.

[calurker]

My friend and I saw Neil when we were in Vegas for the skating show........it was a good show. I actually didn't realize how strong a voice he had. Knowing all the lyrics to the songs felt a bit wierd. How old are we?..was the question....my friend and I just looked at each other and laughed.

It was great to see Clay accknowledged at the show, and yes we squealed, but so did quite a few others...so obviously we were in great company.

[FearofH2O]

Playbiller asked me to post that she has several BCA- Easter Bonnet playbills that were being given away, so let her know if you'd like one. I told her I wanted the backstage visit with Clay but she wouldn't buy it for me. So I'm sulking right now. :5271627lilsis:

[FromClaygary]

My take on James' blog:

I went back and read James' blog a second time. I think he's actually pretty complementary of Clay's performance. It's really hard to see someone else do "your" part. I felt a titch of jealousy, but, really, how could he not be a bit jealous? Isn't that what every actor wants?

And how often do you suppose he's ever been in an audience with a bonafied STAR in the cast? It must be a bit unnerving to see every little thing get such a reaction!

I think I'll cut him some slack. I hope one day he gets to see Clay do a completely different part and sees what else he can do.

I hope one day he gets his dream of performing on Broadway, himself. It seems pretty important to him. And he doesn't have CD's and concerts, et al, to satisfy his passion to perform. Overall, I didn't see the whole thing as a "review" anyway. I saw it as his take on HIS show from a very different perspective. I wish he'd seen it twice. Once to get used to being in the audience and experiencing the - yes extreme - reactions from Clay's fans. And once to sit back and enjoy.

Oh - and there's this . . .

You must CLICK!

I thought James' blog was fine. I've read his blog on and off since it was first discovered and I didn't see anything in this one that was much different than how he's reported on other things. I actually enjoy his blog when I take a minute to read it. He makes a point to find out about the city he's in, visit some sites and shares pics and info with you. He always gives props to his dresser. He seems to be a thoughtful man.

And I wouldn't be surprised to hear that some Clay fans don't realize that there is anyone else on the stage.. ;-) In my two shows, I was a bit surprised at the screaming for every little thing Clay did or said... at one point, I really did think it was overkill. Hard to hear the next line... Yes, bring enthusiasm - absolutely - but scream for e.v.e.r.y l.i.t.t.l.e t.h.i.n.g - not so much. JMO

I did have a chance to see James' Sir Robin when he was here in Milwaukee and it was the same month that I saw Clay (Clay early April, James end of the month). James' take is different which is to be expected. I actually thought he did a fine job. His scream was very abrupt - forced - not as natural, but overall, I thought he did fine. If I hadn't seen Clay first, I probably wouldn't have thought anything about James' performance to be lacking. I do feel that Clay is a better Sir Robin - maybe it's his facial expressions - how he plays the character - he brings a joy to the part that shows. So I imagine, as Cotton said, it's probably hard to see someone else play your part and do it well - especially someone who is not Broadway born and bred. A thin-skinnned performer might not have been as nice in their review.

You must CLICK!

~~~~~~~

Oh yum. Very yum. Lickable yum.

As for the blog itself, I think it has to be hard to see someone in a role that you identify with so much. IMO, he wrote a good blog that really highlighted the good about Clay, and the play itself.

Just got back from getting a bite to eat....

OK I obviously didn't make myself clear about the James Beaman blog....as I said, I thought he was nice about Clay too! Had no problem whatsoever with what he said, and I tended to agree with his comments about the fans in the front as well.

But.....I WAS referring to this description of himself:

A glimpse into back stage life and the inner thoughts and observations of a multi-talented performer.

and this:

I'm a professional actor, currently touring with the Broadway musical "Spamalot." I am based in New York City. In addition to my acting work, I have also been a self produced cabaret artist, a director and choreographer, a makeup artist, and a Pilates teacher.

OK then.....he obviously thinks he's pretty talented! Does he cook and chew gum at the same time too?

Nothing against him at all, as I also said, this is the only thing of his I've ever read. It was just the above that made me kind of squint one eye and laugh. Maybe he's just trying to present his credentials and to me, it didn't come off very well.

[Cotton]

Lori!

heh

I have read a few of his other blog entries, but I never noticed his "resume"!

Yeah, it sounds pretty puffed up!

But, yeah, it's probably just that actor habit of having to 'sell yourself' with that headshot and bio.

Or maybe he's full of himself . . .

[Gibby]

I read James' blog twice, too. My first reaction was that he was very nicely trying to say that he was underwhelmed by Clay, but on second read, I realized that he was being complimentary. Especially if you consider that he identifies himself as a stage actor. He compliments Clay's instincts and timing, and says that though he plays the part differently, he is consistent in his interpretation. Pretty darn good, I think! I liked it that he said that Clay's voice is effortless and amazing. Indeed!

It's absolutely gorgeous weather here in Colorado these days. Highs in the mid-70s, and lows in the 50's. Autumn is so pretty here. I did a bunch of yard clean-up today, and though I loved being out in the beautiful weather, yard work isn't my thang! It's much more fun to relax with my laptop.

Aw, Fear, I'm so sorry! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

[FromClaygary]

Lori!

heh

I have read a few of his other blog entries, but I never noticed his "resume"!

Yeah, it sounds pretty puffed up!

But, yeah, it's probably just that actor habit of having to 'sell yourself' with that headshot and bio.

Or maybe he's full of himself . . .

Heh....or maybe I'm just too used to Clay's self-deprecation!

[Gibby]

I watched Clay's most recent Leno appearance yesterday, and noticed that he said he wanted blond hair because the darker hair was making him look older. Hmmmmm. I wonder if blond hair really does make him look younger, or if it's more the style that makes the difference? Here are two pics with great smiles, one with longer blond hair, and the other with short brown hair. Which do you think looks younger?

And for comparison (and because I absolutely ADORE this look), here's Clay in longer chestnut hair:

[Couch Tomato]

Heh....or maybe I'm just too used to Clay's self-deprecation!

heee.

that's probably it. I have spent a lot of time on my resume trying to make the mundane sound fabulous. You're SUPPOSED to do that and then they find out after you're hired how much you exaggerated I do thnk in acting or any field where you have to put your ass out in front of the public for their opinion, you need a very very strong ego. Clay deflects a lot of things with his self-deprecation. It's charming on him. But doesn't really work for everyone.

It took me a long time to get used to it but I love him as a blond now. And going back and looking at pictures where I thought he looked not Clay, they are now Clay. I actually like him in all his incarnations... he keeps things interesting for sure. But I love this look on him. That's my favorite color hair on him and I loved the JBT hair which was short.

I think he doesn't look any older depending on the hair..I think he can look older depending on what he's wearing.

[Cotton]

Hmm.

The two "hair pics" aren't a fair comparison to me because I think the style makes so much difference. I think Clay's forehead is high and he looks a bit more handsome with a bit of hair falling over his forehead. I think that matters as much as the color, IMO.

There ya go. How's that for noncommittal!?!

hee

I love them BOTH!!!

ETA:

I still love the AFGHANISTAN/Raleigh Gala look the bestest eveh!

Funny, DH and I spent some time with DS this afternoon and I almost didn't recognize him when he walked into the restaurant because he has let his beard grow and it looks very much like Clay's beard. Same color, curly, same length. He looks good!

I'd never tell him it made me think of Clay. He'd shave so fast his skin might scorch! :lmaosmiley-1:

[Gibby]

That's what I think, Cotton - the style makes a bigger difference than the color! Clay thought that the blond color would make him look younger, but I think the short style makes him look younger. IMHO he looks more mature in longer hair, whether it's blond or chestnut.

[zena]

Hi Everyone! I know I've been underground for a long while, but I did want to give everyone a wave just to say hello. I can't ever did find the waving emoticon when I need it but I spent half an hour there just looking; there were so many new ones......sigh.....I love emoticons.

I have been lurking more often lately and whenever I read the names at the bottom of the page of people online that also connect with the happy memories of familiar faces and good times, I wonder if I'll be lucky enough to see some of you again.

I hope so!

In the meantime, I think my new station in life will keep my path fairly simple and straightforward. I have recently joined the ranks of the bankrupt scholar and gone back to University.

:PickMe-1: This is me: rich in knowledge (Ha), and very very poor in spam-like funds.

Take care, :F_05BL17blowkiss: all of you! I'll be hanging around from time to time when I feel like not doing homework and need to be inspired by pictures, news, music, pictures, conversation, pictures, well, you understand, right?

[atinal]

gibby, I think the younger look has more to do with the expression on his face than the color of his hair in those pics. Of the 3 pics you chose, I think he looks oldest in the last one, again because of his expression. JMO.

[Cotton]

That's what I think, Cotton - the style makes a bigger difference than the color! Clay thought that the blond color would make him look younger, but I think the short style makes him look younger. IMHO he looks more mature in longer hair, whether it's blond or chestnut.

You know, the other thing is, I think sometimes when interviewers ask these questions, he just throws out a line without giving it much thought. Not serious questions, you understand, just one he considers inconsequential like his danged hair. I'm not sure I think he really and truly thought the dark color made him look old. But somebody asked and he had to say something.

???

Maybe somebody told him the dark hair made him look old?

You know what?

I love 99% of his looks!

Yeah, there have been a few times when I thought - whoa! Who did that?

But - the man is beautifully made! Aquiline nose. Amazing green eyes. Killer smile. Determined spirit. Loving heart.

Hair shmair.

[Claymatron]

I still like this look best, but he's so handsome, regardless of how he wears his hair, that it doesn't matter.

Oh, shoot, I'm not having any luck posting the pic, so I'll just have to say it's from the Virgin CD signing for ATDW...the beard from the last Gala was the ultimate look for me, but I don't think it made him look younger, just more edible!

[FromClaygary]

You know what?

I love 99% of his looks!

Yeah, there have been a few times when I thought - whoa! Who did that?

But - the man is beautifully made! Aquiline nose. Amazing green eyes. Killer smile. Determined spirit. Loving heart.

Hair shmair.

Yah! THAT!!

Zena.... :thbighug-1: ..........I thought maybe you were lost in Minneapolis! I've been thinking about/wondering about you! Thanks for checking in!....and stick around, huh?

[Cotton]

:F_05BL17blowkiss:

[Gibby]

zena - It's great to hear from you! How cool that you've gone back to school! Don't be a stranger, okay?

I still like this look best, but he's so handsome, regardless of how he wears his hair, that it doesn't matter.

Oh, shoot, I'm not having any luck posting the pic, so I'll just have to say it's from the Virgin CD signing for ATDW...the beard from the last Gala was the ultimate look for me, but I don't think it made him look younger, just more edible!

Hmmm, let me see if I can help you. I can't find ATDW signing in my photobucket, but I do have Mr. Delicious Library Guy:

And here he is on Kimmel (same day as the ATDW Virgin signing):

And those fantastic pics at the piano have the same hairstyle:

Gala pics - I love the beard, too!

[playbiller]

Back from tonight, sadly, tom was replaced by the guy I have seen play 3 other parts. This guy must have the memory of an elephant to know all the parts.

Scarlett is packing.

Clay came out to sign playbills, but the woman next to me had her signed and then screamed so loud I turned to see what happened and Clay passed me by. So no autograph for me.

I see no one wants an easterbonnet playbill, so I will just send them to random people who bought things from me in the past.

Besides getting BC's poster, I got - BCA christmas ornament, the 2006 Playbill yearbook, the 2007 musical snowglobe, bought a chance at seats for High School musicals opening show (my nephew!), bought chances on two tickets to 6 different plays, bought the entire Heather Headley DVD, not just Clay, bought the Easterbonnet DVD,. I think that was enough, I also got more stuff, but forgot what it was.

[jmh123]

Hi Everyone! I know I've been underground for a long while, but I did want to give everyone a wave just to say hello. I can't ever did find the waving emoticon when I need it but I spent half an hour there just looking; there were so many new ones......sigh.....I love emoticons.

I have been lurking more often lately and whenever I read the names at the bottom of the page of people online that also connect with the happy memories of familiar faces and good times, I wonder if I'll be lucky enough to see some of you again.

I hope so!

In the meantime, I think my new station in life will keep my path fairly simple and straightforward. I have recently joined the ranks of the bankrupt scholar and gone back to University.

:PickMe-1: This is me: rich in knowledge (Ha), and very very poor in spam-like funds.

Take care, :F_05BL17blowkiss: all of you! I'll be hanging around from time to time when I feel like not doing homework and need to be inspired by pictures, news, music, pictures, conversation, pictures, well, you understand, right?

Zena, thanks for checking in! Good to hear from you! You are brave to go back to University--please post from time to time and tell us how it's going. There are some others going back too. We even have a thread: Back For More--School, that is.

I see no one wants an easterbonnet playbill, so I will just send them to random people who bought things from me in the past.

Me me me!! I'd love to have it!! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

Say hey to Scarlett.

[justclay12]

Well, I've finally gotten back from the weekend from hell. How do people handle the commute from NJ to NY everyday? I was seriously going into a bad case of road rage. Of course it didn't help that my GPS kept getting me lost and almost wound up out the window. I had to change the voice on it by the end because I had come to hate that one woman's voice.

I saw the show 3 times, and speaking as someone who has a hard time adjusting to a lot of changes all at once, at least with performances, so it wasn't quite as enjoyable as towards the end of his last run. Of course, a lot of it had to do with Tom being out because other than Clay, I think Tom, Rick, and David are amazing performers so it's hard to watch anyone fill in for them. And this Herbert was no Tom. I think the new LOTL has a great voice and is very pretty but I don't think she is the natural ham that Hannah is so I also really missed Hannah. I've read that a lot of people like the new king and he does play it completely different than Jonathan Hadary. I wouldn't say better though but different. For me, he didn't seem quite as generous a performer as JH did. I have to admit though that a lot of my perception of the interpretations is colored by how great Jonathan was to Clay, especially during the last show so I'm pretty biased toward Jonathan. I also thought that more of the play seemed rushed and I missed Clay doing his If If Um and fondling his ribbons.

Some of the changes I noticed, besides the if if um and ribbons, was that David didn't do the drunken guard this time. He played it more as confused and kept looking at Clay a lot. And Clay does the grail scene different. Last time he played it more like he was confused, this time it was more like he was more like he was proud or excited about the task. It's times like this that I wish I was a better storyteller. I'm terrible at this stuff.

I loved how he looked at the stage door. Of course, I also loved how he looked before at the stage door cuz I'm easy that way. I think he is beautiful. Both Jerome and Clay looked very happy and when Jerome would come out by himself some of the fans would ask about Parker and he'd play with them and keep saying, Who? And one of those girls who people keep talking about, who can be pretty annoying sometimes but who are also very enthusiastic, asked about why he changed the line from "I have a brother who's a guard" to "Maybe" and he said it was because that line had been written for him but when he came back the person he ran lines with didn't know it so he changed it and he thinks he likes it better. David came out both nights and someone asked if he missed the Clay fans and he said something like, "you better believe it". The 2nd night, I think his wife and kids were there because we were walking right behind him with what appeared to be his family. The first nights crowd at the stage door was amazing and I did see the paid camera people there and hopefully we'll actually get to see it this time. I also saw him wave to have that Baltimore Clayfan, who is in a wheelchair, brought behind the gate so they could get a picture. He had such a sweet expression on his face. I have to admit to a touch of jealousy though. Sometimes I wish I was more like some of those brave fans who can talk and carry on with Clay. Unfortunately, I lose all powers of speech when he is around and can just stare with a goofy smile on my face. Thank God for people like Ethel who can give Clay something to work with because I'm about as helpful as a lamppost.

And I'm with FromCalgary on that guys blog. I do think he was complimentary but I did feel a bit of jealousy and ego on his part. Not like Clay at all who almost always seems to go out of his way to be generous with his praise of others and downplay his own accomplishments. That's part of why I love the guy so much.

OK, enough complaining for now. It's taken me so long to write this post that you may have started a new thread by now. And if you get through this post, just realize that my review was colored by a lot of frustration so it may not be a true reflection. The audience really laughed a lot so they got it. And probably by November, I will have gotten back into the excitement of it all after reading all the reviews. I really should not be going to the first shows. Remind me of that the next time.

[muskifest]

Sooooo......y'all like my new avie?

[FearofH2O]

justclay12, have a good nights sleep and you might remember the good time you actually had. Sometimes I anticipate things too much which can never match the reality.

When I get together with playbiller, we run around trying to keep our relatives happy that actually getting to Spamalot is very restful for me.

zena,wishing you great success with your new venture. Sounds like it was a pretty bold move.

[playbiller]

Aw, JustClay, sorry I didn't arrange to meet you, I met so many people, some of them blurred.

Wanda, I would like to meet you on one of the gala days, if you are going to another show, maybe something off broadway.

today, we were watching the auction and when Clay was auctioned, half the Spam staff was out side, Jerome was grinning like an idiot and Clay was peeking out the window at the bidding. Now some things sold more than Clay, but it was things where they did the split the bid thing if you each pay 8k.... So Clay brought in the most per single item, but not most per show. One of the Vargas girls got a picture of him peeking out.

[justclay12]

Playbiller, I kept hoping to meet you too and was asking people screen names to see if I could find you. I did meet Rocky's Mom and Claysweetea and both seemed very nice. It probably would have been more fun if I had been able to spend time with other Claymates. Love my daughter but she is not the best person to travel with. Of course, she could probably say the same about me since she spent about half the trip listening to me cuss and calling the GPS lots of nasty names. Thankfully she is old enough to have already heard all those words. Next time I think I'll take the train.